Monday’s Rugby News

Hodge Ain’t Podge

The big news coming out of the Wallabies-Japan game is Reece Hodge. Specifically, is he good or is he whack?

Paul Cully over at the SMH reckons he’s not whack, even going so far as to say the ABs have a bigger flyhalf conundrum than the Wallabies.

“Hodge is by no means the finished article but it was evident that the hat fits when it comes to directing a football team,” writes Cully, the Kiwi-based rugby columnist. “He looked composed and confident and has such strong defence and goalkicking to base his game around.

“His performance was another tick for the Wallabies coaching set-up and perhaps a message to the Rebels that they have found their director.”

New Zealand have four amazing players in and around the flyhalf position – Beauden Barrett, Lima Sopoaga, Damian McKenzie and Richie Mo’unga – and Cully reckons that Barrett is better as a fullback, and Mo’unga – who played for the Barbarians against the All Blacks on Saturday – is a better bet for the Black 10.

“The uncapped Crusader Richie Mo’unga outplayed Beauden Barrett at Twickenham to the extent that Barrett was promptly shifted back to fullback at the start of the second half,” writes Cully.

“It seems remarkable that Mo’unga is rated behind Barrett, Lima Sopoaga and even Damian McKenzie…the questions about Barrett’s most natural position are legitimate. Is he truly a No 15? The All Blacks are convinced he is a No 10 but Mo’unga displayed the greater control and creativity, especially with his kicking game.”

Cheika meanwhile loved Reece’s stuff.

“Reece wanted the opportunity and has been preparing and I thought Japan tested him with line speed many times and he made some good decisions,” Cheika told rugby.com.au.

“(There’s) still a long way to go but a great start for him in that no, 10 jersey.

“I was very happy with his game.

“He probably got a bit tired towards the end, he had a lot of decisions to make and no second playmaker but I thought he did a fantastic job.”

IPRC Not All Gold

Twiggy Forrest is a smart businessman, who had the brilliant business idea to dig metals out of the ground and then flog it to a booming economy of a billion people that might need the stuff.

Using that nous of his, which is so good, Twiggy set up the IPRC. Basically to keep the Western Force a going concern. And he’s continued to mine them metals, this time turning up with a bit of silver.

Twiggysloe, which is a far better name than Twiggyball, has had a few changes announced to it. Ready? Ok go –

The IPRC will run at the same time as Super. This is because those pesky Asians, who Twiggy is so fond of flogging stuff to, have a thing called a ‘monsoon’ season. This ‘monsoon’ season, or a seasonal change in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea to use laypeople, means it rains heaps during a part of the year. That part of the year is also known around these parts as NRC & Walllabies time – i.e. around July-ish to October-ish.

The IPRC will also launch in 2019, instead of next year, and will consist of 6 teams. Who the other 5 will be, no one knows. The ARU also hope for each team to have

“This is a transformative day for the players and the fans of Rugby in the Indo Pacific region,” Forrest said, according to rugby.com.au.

“I am so proud to have reached this position where we have aligned with Rugby Australia on some core principles and a path forward.”